HARTFORD—The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is developing plans for the Pavement Preservation Project for the 2026 construction season in East Haddam. This project involves applying an asphalt rubber chip seal treatment on Rte. 156 through Lyme and Old Lyme, beginning in East Haddam at the intersection of Rte. 82 (Mile Point 0.00) and ending in Old Lyme at the intersection of Rte. 1 (Mile Point 8.43).
The purpose of this project is to preserve and maintain the condition of the pavement, bringing it to a good state of repair. This project will help the CTDOT achieve Transportation Asset Management Plan (TAMP) goals, through pavement preservation treatments that extend the overall pavement life and improve pavement performance.
The present schedule indicates that the design will be completed in August 2025, with construction anticipated to start in the spring of 2026, assuming acceptance of the project, availability of funding, receipt of any required right-of-way, and environmental permits. This project will be undertaken with one hundred percent (100%) State funds.
A press release issued July 31 by CTDOT states it is the CTDOT’s policy to keep the public informed and involved when such projects are undertaken and important that the community share its concerns with the CTDOT to assist in the project’s development.
If anyone has any questions or comments on this project, contact Sebastian Cannamela, Principal Engineer, at (860) 594-2698 or by email at Sebastian.Cannamela@ct.gov. Questions/comments should make reference to State Project No. 0172-0553.
CHARLOTTE, NC—Barbara Ann Ryan Kenyon, 80, of Charlotte, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2025, surrounded by her loved ones. Born on April 19, 1945, in Newark, New Jersey, she was the daughter of the late Thomas Joseph Ryan and Laura Marquard Ryan …
Barbara was a devoted wife to her loving husband, Bruce Davis Kenyon, her “co-admiral” and partner in life for nearly 59 years … Barbara also gave her time and leadership as the past board chairman of the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library in Old Lyme, Connecticut, reflecting her enduring love for literature and learning.
Barbara is survived by her husband Bruce and their three children: Erin Sanders and her husband Steve of Charlotte, NC, along with their children Morgan, Ryan, and Brynn; Thomas Kenyon and his wife Margaret of Allentown, PA, and their children Catherine, Nathaniel, Caroline, and Eleanor; and Robert Kenyon and his wife Tracie of Austin, TX. She is also survived by her sister, Laura Turton of Cincinnati, OH, and a wonderful extended family …
A memorial serviceto honor Barbara’s life will be held on August 21, 2025 at 1:00 PM at Providence United Methodist Church, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211. A reception will follow the service …
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made in Barbara’s memory to Providence UMC’s Stephen Ministry or to the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library. Barbara’s legacy of love, service, and passion for life will continue to live on in all who knew her …
How would you feel if your usual means of commuting went on a summer vacation?
Riding the ancient Danbury branch of Metro-North is hard enough, but now it’s going to be shut down for two weeks, the trains replaced by buses from Aug. 1 through 17.
The 24-mile-long, mostly single-track railroad from South Norwalk to The Hat City carries about 2000 daily riders at an average speed of 27 mph. Now those riders will get to enjoy the “bustitutes,” which will make the journey faster than the train.
During the train outage, crews will improve the tracks and several grade-crossings. What won’t be addressed is long-discussed re-electrification of the line. Yes, the Danbury line used to be electrified, just like the main line along the Connecticut coast.
It was in 1959 that the last electric locomotive pulled a train on the Danbury branch, “under the wire.” Why did that change? Here’s a synopsis of what I wrote a couple of years ago…
Most rail historians, like former New Haven and Metro-North veteran Jack Swanberg blame, one man for the de-electrification: Patrick B McGuiness, then-President of the New Haven. “He was not a good railroad man,” said Swanberg, a master of understatement. In his two years running the mighty, private and once profitable New Haven Railroad, McGuiness made terrible choices we’re still living with today.
At the NH Railroad, predecessor to Metro-North, McGuiness cut maintenance and laid off staff, trying to goose up the stock price. But it was when General Motors came calling that he made his biggest error.
The New Haven’s real profits came from running passengers and freight on the main line from NYC to Boston. Because steam and diesel locomotives were not allowed in Grand Central, the New Haven was one of the first railroads to electrify, starting in 1909, but only as far as New Haven.
For trains running north to Boston they needed to waste time and expense changing engines (from electric to steam and later diesel) in New Haven. McGuiness thought he could avoid that when GM introduced its hybrid FL-9 loco, railroad’s Prius of its day: running all electric in third rail territory, then running diesel.
In the 1950s, the New Haven ordered 60 FL-9s from General Motors, replacing their classic but boxy looking EP-2 electrics built by General Electric. By 1959 that meant no more electric service on the Danbury branch. In 1965 they finally took down the copper-wire catenary, selling it for scrap like some sort of junkie.
While the original EP electrics had 4000 hp, the hybrid FL-9s were less than half that. And that meant poor acceleration and longer travel time, especially on commuter trains making a lot of stops. Longer trains that used to have one electric loco now required two or three FL-9s. And on the steep Danbury line where it’s a 360-ft. climb from the coast to The Hat City, keeping traction on slippery tracks is a problem even today in the fall and winter.
The FL-9s were also expensive to maintain and dirty, even before we cared about air pollution. In cold weather the diesels had to be kept running all night, just idling in the yard (creating noise and air pollution). Their 25-year-life expectancy wasn’t impressive and overhauls were costly.
“It was a mistake to take down the wire [on the Danbury branch],” says Swanberg who has written extensively on the topic.
Now CDOT seems to have given up on re-wiring the line as we await delivery of shiny new unpowered railcars from Alstom (costing $5.25 million apiece) to be pulled by new hybrid locomotives costing about $15 million each.
Meantime, it’s back on the bus this summer.
Editor’s Notes:i) Jim Cameron is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and advocates for Connecticut rail riders. He writes a weekly column called ‘Talking Transportation,’ which is published by a number of publications in the state. ii) ”Talking Transportation” recently won first place in the general column/commentary category in the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Journalism Contest.
OLD LYME— On Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 6:30 p.m., award-winning sportswriter, baseball beat writer and author Marty Gitlin presents a program about one of the the most intense rivalries in American sports – maybe the world. This free event will be held at the Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library at 2 Library Ln in Old Lyme,
This fun program hosted by award-winning sportswriter, baseball beat writer and author Gitlin features videos of the biggest moments of the rivalry from well over a century, as well as trivia questions.
From the sale of Babe Ruth in 1919 that launched the Yankees dynasty and Curse of the Bambino to Joe DiMaggio vs. Ted Williams to the Brawl of 1967 to Bucky Dent to Munson vs. Fisk to the Red Sox Revenge of 2004 all the way to today – this program covers it all … and more!
Gitlin will have his Ultimate New York Yankees Time Machine Book and Ultimate Boston Red Sox Time Machine Book for sale after the event.
Gitlin is a freelance book writer and journalist based in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to Diana, Princess of Wales (Greenwood 2008), he has written several history books for students, including works on the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, Battle of The Little Bighorn, and Stock Market Crash of 1929.
He has also written biographies of NASCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.
Gitlin worked for two decades as a sportswriter, during which time he won more than 45 awards, including first place for general excellence from Associated Press. That same organization also selected him as one of the top four feature writers in Ohio.
OLD LYME – Richard “Rick” George Bugbee, of Old Lyme, died Saturday July 19, 2025, after a long battle with lymphoma. He was 68. Born Oct. 26, 1956 to Richard C. Bugbee Jr. and Jane E. (Patch) Bugbee, he graduated from Old Lyme High School in 1974 and proceeded to explore the country, where he developed a lifelong love and appreciation for the West. He returned to Connecticut in 1980, where he met Ann Turkington of Manchester. They married in 1984, and had three daughters before divorcing in 1996 …
Survivors include, his mother; his three daughters, their spouses and grandchildren: Jane and Nicholas Lano and their children, Claire and Henry of Hamden; Mary Bugbee and Aaron Apmann of Leadville, Colo., and Ellen Bugbee and Trevor Lundeen and their son Thomas of Somerville, Mass.; his aunt Carol Carlson of Cromwell; and his two sisters, Carol Cieszynski of Naperville, Ill., and her family and Laurie Willis of Lyme.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Charitable Partner of the National Parks (nationalparks.org).
A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 25, in the First Congregational Church, McCurdy Road, Old Lyme.
